Thursday, 11 August 2011

Onken has launched a new, limited edition Sicilian Lemon yoghurt, made from the juiciest lemons harvested in the heart of Sicily – the home of citrus fruits. This refreshing and tangy yogurt will delight your taste buds, either its own or as part of a delicious recipe.

To celebrate this delicious new flavour, Onken has created six mouth-watering recipes perfect for any occasion.So why not try them out and enjoy a fresh and luxurious taste, with every bite.From appetisers, side dishes, main courses and desserts, there’s plenty for everyone.

Recipes

Pea and Mint Hummus

A refreshing dip, perfect for alfresco days and made of fresh podded peas, mint, garlic and Onken Sicilian Lemon yogurt.Serve with crackers, pita crisps or vegetable crudités for an easy tasty dip everyone will love.

Serves 4-6

175g fresh podded peas

1 small clove garlic, crushed

Pinch salt

4 tbsp Onken Sicilian Lemon Yogurt

1 tbsp freshly chopped mint leaves

1.Cook peas in lightly salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water.Tip into a food processor, add garlic, salt and yogurt and whizz until pureed. Add mint and whizz again.

2.Serve with crackers, pita crisps or vegetable crudités

Cooks tip: If using frozen peas, cover with hot water and stand for 2 minutes then drain.

Potato and fresh Pea Salad with Lemon Yogurt Dressing

A light and fresh accompaniment to all year round dining, this simple and easy to make recipe creates a light dish perfect as a side or even a lunchtime salad.

Serves 4

500g small new potatoes, scrubbed

150g frozen petit pois, thawed

150ml Onken Sicilian Lemon Yogurt

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped chives

1.Boil the potatoes in salted water for 12-15 minutes until tender. Drain, cool and cut in half.Mix with the peas.

2.Whisk the yogurt with the mustard and herbs and fold into the potato salad.

Turkish Grilled Chicken with Cucumber and Cacik

Celebrate the sun with this glorious chicken recipe. Light and fantastic, it is the perfect quick meal on the BBQ (or the grill if it’s raining!).

Serves 4

8 medium chicken thighs or 12 small (preferably boned)

½ tsp black peppercorns

1 tbsp cumin seeds

200 ml Onken Sicilian Lemon Yogurt

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli flakes

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt

Cacik:

½ cucumber

150ml Onken Sicilian Lemon Yogurt

1 clove garlic crushed (or 1 spring onion finely chopped)

1 tbsp shredded mint leaves

1.Trim off any excess fat and skin from the chicken thighs (as these can burn on the bbq). Place in a glass dish.

2.To make the marinade, put the peppercorns and cumin seeds into a dry frying pan and place over a medium heat until toasted.Turn into a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar and grind until crushed.Tip into a bowl and stir in the yogurt, garlic, remaining spices and lemon juice.Spread on both sides of the chicken thighs, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

3.Meanwhile, to make the cacik, peel the cucumber, halve lengthways and remove the seeds. Either grate or cut into small dice.Tip into a sieve and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir into the yogurt with the garlic or spring onion and add the mint just before serving.

4.Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and sprinkle the skin side with a little salt. Cook over a pre-heated barbecue until golden on each side and cooked through.

5.Serve either whole or cut into slices and pile onto warm flatbreads with salad and cacik.

Tagliatelle with Lemon Spinach Sauce

This delicious vegetarian pasta dish successfully fuses Italian and British cuisine, and is a tasty treat for all the family.Ready in less than 15 minutes, this is the ideal dish for busy mums.

Serves 4

400g fresh spinach

400g tagliatelle

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small red pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

250ml Onken Sicilian Lemon Yogurt

A little grated nutmeg

40 g pine nuts, lightly toasted

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1.Put the spinach into a large steamer and cook 3-4 minutes until wilted, remove and press out as much water as possible.Tip onto a board and chop, set aside.Bring a large pan of slightly salted water to the boil and add the tagliatelle. Cook for 8 minutes until just tender

2.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the red pepper and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften.Add the garlic and cook a further minute.

3.Stir in the spinach and lemon yogurt and gently heat through. Season with salt and pepper and add a little freshly grated nutmeg.

4.Drain the pasta. Return to the pan, add the spinach sauce and toss together until the pasta is evenly coated.

5.Serve in warm bowls and scatter over the toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese.

Cooks tip: Can also use frozen spinach which is a great standby, once thawed, make sure all the excess water is pressed out.

If preferred the wilted spinach can be chopped in a food processor.

Italian Meringue Mess

A favourite for kids and adults alike, prepare yourself for a right ‘mess’ with this mix of meringue and cherry compote. Quick and simple to prepare, it's a real winner.

Serves 4

125ml whipping cream

300ml Onken Sicilian Lemon Yogurt

4 meringue nests

6 tbsp Cherry compote (drain off excess juice) or

4 tbsp cherry conserve

1.Whip the cream into soft peaks and fold in the lemon yogurt.

2.Break up the meringues and fold into cream mixture

3.Place spoonfuls into glasses alternatively with the cherry compote, take a spoon and gently swirl. Serve.

Cooks tip: you can use fresh fruit if preferred e.g. 150g pitted fresh cherries or 200g strawberries, hulled and chopped.

Sicilian Lemon Yogurt Cake

A rich, lemony cake with a polenta base that tastes as good as it looks.Delicious served with fresh raspberries or as the Italians would do in the summer, fresh peaches soaked in desert wine.

Serves 10

120ml light olive oil

3 large eggs

200ml Onken Sicilian Lemon Yogurt

175g caster sugar

Grated zest from 1 lemon

100g ground almonds

75g semolina or instant polenta

75g plain white flour

2 tsp baking powder

Icing:

Juice from lemon

175g icing sugar

1.Grease and base line a 20cm spring-form cake tin.Heat the oven to 180C/160Cfan/gas 4.

2.Put the oil, eggs, yogurt, sugar and lemon zest into a bowl and whisk together until smooth.Mix the dry ingredients together then add to the bowl and fold together until smooth.Pour into the prepared cake tin then bake in the oven for 40 minutes until golden in colour and springy to touch.

3.Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

4.To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add 2 tbsp of lemon juice for a thick icing and 3 tbsp for a thinner glace icing. Remove the sides from the tin, invert on a rack, remove base and peel away the lining paper.Turn the cake the right way up onto another rack placed over a tray.

5.Spoon the icing evenly over the cake allowing it to drizzle down the sides. The runnier icing will drip onto the tray.

6.Delicious served hot or cold.

Onken Sicilian Lemon Yogurt

The Onken Sicilian Lemon: RSP £1.25 for 450g pot – available in store at most major retailers and online at Ocado

For stockist details and to see Onken’s new, inspiring range of recipes visit www.onken.co.uk

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About Me

Born in Brazil to Japanese and Italian parents, educated in the UK, a true Londoner. Former investment banker turned Cordon Bleu trained chef, food, wine and travel writer, Japanophile and Supper Club host in Islington.